The National ICT R&D Fund has planed to promote technologies and applications in local languages in local languages for assisting effective and widespread use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) across Pakistan.
The department has sought the establishment of an “Advanced Technology Program in Human Language Technologies” from private companies and educational institutes in this regard. Hence, ICT technologies and applications will be developed using local languages and content for uplifting of socio-economic development of Pakistani citizens and communities.
The program aimed at exploring avenues for capacity building for commercialization of such technologies, thus contributing to developing a vibrant industry around local language computing and content.
ICT applications are available in English that excludes almost 90% of Pakistanis, who cannot communicate in this foreign language, from the potential benefits. In Pakistan more than 66 languages are spoken, making Pakistan a very linguistically diverse country but enabling ICTs in so many languages requires a considered and substantial efforts.
